Scene In…

Now Playing

Five Last-Minute Shows

Annie Tittiger | July 24, 2012

Ingredients for a good week of music: A heaping spoonful of electropop, a dash bluegrass and just a hint of tango.

Neon Trees

St. Lucia

Sioux City Kid, Thursday, 7/26
When lead singer Jared Griffin sings, you’ll wonder how a man from San Francisco has managed to sound like a fifty-something southerner who’s smoked way too many cigarettes over the years. Along with the band’s foot-stomping bluegrass style and story-telling lyrics, it’s a welcome break from the typical indie band. $15, 7:30 p.m., The Independent, 628 Divisadero, more information here

St. Lucia, Thursday, 7/26For a pop artist, St. Lucia got his start in an odd place: A classical boy’s choir in his hometown of Johannesburg, South Africa, which traveled everywhere from Japan to Australia. Since moving to New York and recording his eponymous debut album, his atmospheric beats have won over a tight knit community of devout followers. $15, 9:30 p.m., Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell St., more information here

Trio Garufa, Friday, 7/27 Ah, tango music—a genre that never dulls: The lovely, lithe bandoneón leading the dance; the intricate guitar chords and picks adding harmony; the bass giving everything a bit of weight and rhythm. Now imagine a trio straight out of the dance clubs of Buenos Aires with dancers as their accompaniment, and the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit as the inspiration for it all. Not bad for a Friday night. FREE, 6 p.m., Wilsey Court at the de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, more information here

Loquat, Saturday, 7/28 The local elctro-pop band released their first album in four years back in May and has been riding the wave ever since. It’s punchy pop, and lead singer Kylee Swenson Gordon’s sultry vocals are nicely complimented by the synthesized beats. $14, 8 p.m., Slim’s, 333 11th St., more information here

Neon Trees,Sunday,7/29While the band falls under the umbrella of classic 80s snyth-pop ballads at times, they can also ramp up the energy to produce a wild, punk rock show. Basically, you’ll have moments between sets to catch your breath. $20, 8 p.m., The Fillmore, 1805 Geary St., more information here